National Solar Energy Initiative - Chinese Companies are Taking The Lead

The National Solar Energy Initiative aims to develop affordable and cheap solar power substituting for highly costly fossil energy.

On 11th of July, 2023, Minister of Planning, Development, and Reform Ahsan Iqbal attended a meeting with China Apollo Holding Group and China Ocean Engineering Construction Company. The meeting was held in Beijing and accompanied by the senior representative of China Ocean Engineering Construction Company, Xu Hao, and the chairman of China Apollo Holding Group, Chen Diming. 

At the conference, Ahsan Iqbal underscored the importance of solar energy and how green energy would save Pakistan from the energy crisis. He also urged Chinese companies to invest in solar power projects in Pakistan and invited them to establish PV manufacturing plants in the country. 

Also Read: Oracle Power and Power China Joined Hands in 1 GW Solar Project in Thar Pakistan

Iqbal recognized and appreciated Chinese investment and longstanding partnership in Pakistan’s solar sector. Iqbal guaranteed the Chinese companies that the government would be entirely cooperative and accommodating.

A delegation from Huzhou, China, paid a visit to the PCJCCI Secretariat in Lahore in the meantime.

It covered the potential for investment in various industries, including energy, machinery manufacturing, construction, and cross-cultural interactions.

Gan Meilin, Chairman, Xiandeng, Hi-Tech Electric Co., led the delegation. Gan emphasized that employing agricultural waste and municipal solid waste might produce approximately 3,000 megawatts of electricity in Pakistan.

“Pakistan generates about 15 million tonnes of crop residue annually, which can be used as feedstock to generate 120MW of electricity,” he said. 

Moreover, he added that he recognized Pakistan's enormous potential for renewable energy sources, which would prevent the country from using all its foreign exchange reserves on expensive energy.

The delegation believed Pakistan's construction methods needed more modern and practical. In comparison, Chinese construction methods and techniques can save up to ten times as much money as those used in Pakistan. According to PCJCCI President Moazzam Ghurki, China produces inexpensive energy by incineration of waste materials, and this strategy may be able to address Pakistan's energy crisis and environmental pollution.

The proposal to develop a 10,000 MW solar plant was revealed by Pakistan's prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, in September 2023. He asserted that it would substitute expensive energy with cheap solar power, providing massive relief to people and saving precious foreign exchange. He added that by 2030, Pakistan has committed to producing 60% of its electricity from renewable sources.

Pakistan is already working on shifting government buildings and offices to solar energy.

Approximately 58% of Pakistan's energy is produced from fossil fuels, 30% from hydropower, 10% from renewable sources, and 1% from nuclear power. By 2030, Pakistan has committed to generating 60% of its electricity from renewable sources.

Also Read: $125 Million Solar Power Investment from China